i am also south african, but not from your side eastern cape!

I have to say I agree with Carley and Steph on this one! But don't shoot me, it's my opinion.

As Ive said elsewhere, I can't possibly understand why someone would want to put themselves through surgery when they don't have to. And that goes for plastic surgery too. Im not saying it should be banned, and everyone should have their own choice, but I can't get my head round it personally. For me it would be the LAST way I'd want to give birth, and I pray that it doesn't have to happen to me.

Also, on the financial side, Im not sure how it works on the NHS, but as far as Im aware if you want a section without sufficient medical reasoning then you have to pay for it? Which I think is right. They shouldn't have to dip into the NHS budget for something like that when it's not necessary. For the same reasons the NHS don't hand out boob jobs to glamour models.

xxx

I am not advocating it should be free. Far be it from me. And I completely understand that it is the last way in which you want to give birth, the same way in which I am sure you understand, having a VNB is the last way in which some of the women wanting an elective C-section want to give birth

Definately, Im not saying it's wrong, I just don't understand why someone would want to thats all. Not in a nasty way, I just don't understand. But that's why life is interesting I suppose... everyone thinks differently. And I wouldn't judge anyone for the way that want to give birth because it's not my place to.

xxx

Well I'm a regular judgmental bitch and not even I would judge anyone for how they want to pop a baby!

Which was my initial point, irrespective of what our personal choices are, it irks me that there are people who want to push one method or another on a woman's body.

^ agreed.

^Me three!

A woman has a right to choose,If she doesn't want to got hrough the pain and frankly as someone said ''take an easy way out'' why would that be forbbiden?

Yes,it's a surgery but if a woman doesn't want to have a tear,stiches and go through a painful thing and wants to have an operation rather...there's nothing wrong with it...

Personally,I don't like when some women think that you're not a real woman if you don't have a natural delivery,and a drug free one.
We don't have to do it anymore...I'm in US and many women have elective c-section,and all is good...

Every woman has the right to chose whatever she wants for her delivery.

I personally wouldn't want a section unless it was medically necessary for many reasons but mostly because maternal death rates are 3 times higher with sections than with vaginal deliveries and the recovery time. I had a vaginal delivery with my first daughter and although I had a sore bottom, I was up and about within 5 1/2 hours. A section just seems like it would be painful for such a long time afterwards- 6 weeks vs 12 hours? I'll do the 12+ hours, lol.

I'm planning an elective c-section, for many reasons. I grew up with a grand father who was a doctor and he always said that if he had it his way all women would have c-sections. And he wasn't some fancy doctor who wanted didn't want to be called out at 2 in the morning so would schedule c-sections to suit himself. He was a farm doctor in rural south africa and very few of his deliveries were c-sections. But he saw all the complications of natural birth. Women in their 60s and 70s with prolapsed uterus and bladder problems for example. Episiotomies that got infected and took months to heal. He told all his grand daughters that if we had any choice in the matter we should go for a c-section. I have a friend who had an episiotomy, it took her 14 weeks to recover. A c-section cut is sterile and heals much faster. I also have a couple of friends who are doctors who opted for an elective c-section, also because they have the results of complications.

I will probably need a c-section since I have a bicornuate uterus and other medical issues, but even if I didn't, I would have one. For me knowing I'm having a c-section makes me feel better about the whole thing. I know I'm having the birth I want, and I don't need to worry about the baby going into distress or having a cord wrapped around it's neck or the doctor using forceps and squashing it's head. So I'm not saying that everyone should want a c-section, but hopefully that will help you understand why some people would want one.

Nice to know there are other South Africans on here, yay.

I got fooled by the story, *******s. Was quite upset that they could take away the choice even though its one I wouldn't make if not for medical reasons.